leave them kids alone.

You may have heard that Rome is a little bit fucked up. I swear riots follow me round like the plague. The world is under the weather, and it's sort of scary to sit and helplessly watch as everything crumbles. I don't mean this literally, of course. I live in a fairly residential area, and the most I have experienced of this Roman rebellion is a couple of power cuts and rolling news footage. I was speaking to some acquaintances yesterday who said they were at the protest march, but fled as soon as it turned ugly. And this is always the way! I'm all for a good protest, but I think it's such a shame that there are those who set out to cause nothing but violence and destruction.

 I also think it's a shame, however that people are so quick to denounce the 'youth of today' and tar us all with the same brush. Tony Blair said after the riots in the UK that we mustn't be too quick to label our society as 'broken' and harp on about moral decline. I agree wholeheartedly. A generation that is only ever recognised as a group of trouble-makers can never truly thrive, and though I am usually the first to go on about how much I dislike humanity, I think age is completely irrelevant. Besides, we are by no means the first to express alarm at the way our youth is heading:

"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for
authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place
of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their
households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They
contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties
at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

 -  Socrates (469 - 399 BC)

 On a lighter note, as I am sitting in my room and all I can hear is banging, screaming, woofing and sirens and I need to distract myself from what is possibly impending death, I would like to put it to you that of all the brilliant, delicate and satisfying morsels out there, tomato ketchup is one of the simplest culinary delights. This humble condiment has the power to transform even the dullest of cuisines into something worth eating, and can enhance other foods that are already brilliant. A sausage sandwich is good, but a sausage sandwich with ketchup is out of this world. And that is all I have to say on the matter, though I of course accept any challenges to the ketchup crown (if it's possible)! 


I leave you now with a little piece of loveliness from one of my favourite men to counteract all the hate. Sleep well. I hope you dream dreams of Justin Vernon, and not of mindless acts of violence.